Packaging mechanism



.1. PETERSON ET AL Get. 6, 1925- PACKAGING MECHANI SM Original Fi led Feb. 23, 1923. 3 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 6, 1925. 1,556,023

J. PETERSQN ET AL PACKAGING MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 23, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w/- 3 .3,9

Oct. 6, 192 1,556,023

J. PETERSON ET AL PACKAGING vMECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 23, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 iiiiiii Hk: a5 330 I Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN rETERsON, or BROOKLYN, NEw YORK, AND JAMES c. TIIOM, or cnIcAeo, ILLINOIS, A-ssIGNORs To COMBINATION MACHINE COMPANY, OF N W YORK, N. Y.,

A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PACKAGING MECHANISM.

Original application filed February 28, 1921, Serial No. 447,151. Divided and this application filed J anuary 19, 1923. Serial No. 613,684. I

soN and JAMEs C. THOM, citizens of the United States, and residents of Brooklyn,

county of Kings, State of New York, and

Chicago,-in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packaging'Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

' Our invention relates to machines especially adapted for packaging tobacco, such as granulated, fine-cut or cut plug tobacco, and also for packaging other commodities capable of being handled in a similar way.

This application is a division of our previous application Serial No. 447,151 filed February 23, 1921, whch discloses a machine for forming pouch packages and for filling the packages including the insertion of a card or label in each package on top of the contents; and the present application relates to the filling mechanism adapted for filling bags or pouch packages of the kind produced by the bag forming mechanism of said prior application, or similar bags or pouches.

A principal object of the present invention is to provi e simple and accurate-mechanism for advancin bags or pouches in a series on a suita le conveyor, depositing a measured quantity of a commodity such as tobacco .in each pouch, and preferably filling each pouch by the depomt of successive partial charges, the material being packed or pressed 1n position after each partial charge is deposited in the pouch.

Desirably also a card or ticket is placed in each pouch on top of its contents.

A further object of .the invention is to provide means for easily varying the-amount of material deposited in the pouch, and especially for regulating the amount of material deposited at the last filling station,

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufliciently explained in connection with the following detail description of the accompanying drawings, which show one exemplifying embodiment, of the invention. After considering this embodiment, persons skilled in the art will understand that man variations may be made within the princlples of the invention;

and we contemplate the employment of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of filling mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section at 2 -2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail section through one of the commodity hoppers in a plane parallel to the section plane of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view in longitudinal section.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section at 5-5, Fig; 4, with some parts broken away. 7

The main frame comprises legs 1, parallel longitudinal members 2 connected by crosspieces 3, other parallel longitudinal members 5 suitably connected, and upper parallel members 6 connected by suitable cross members and supported by parts 8 and 9.

In the lower part of the framework is a continuous longitudinal conveyor 288, which is intermittently driven to move a succession of pouches for the filling operation. The conveyor comprises a. pair of parallel chains 290, to opposite links of which are connected plates 291, and to these plates are connected the pouch holders. 286, each of which comp'rises ,a pair of plates 293 spaced apart to receive. the ouch and shoes 295 extending forward an rearward from the plates in the direction of movement of the conveyor and substantially flush with the open bottom of the holder, the ends of these shoes being outwardly curved as at 296. At acertain point in the upward movement of each holder on the vertical stretch of the conveyor at the left in Fig. 1, the open bottom of the holder is confronted by an abutment consist ing of a rubber block 297 carried by a stationary frame piece 299.

In our abovementioned application mechanism for forming pouch envelopes is located at the left of the filling mechanism as shown in Fig. 1, and such pouch forming mechanism includes a plunger upon which the pouches P are formed during the advancing movement of the plunger, and in the latter part of the lunger advance it enters one of the hol ers properly positioned in front of the abutment 297, carrying the pouch into the holder and against the abutment, and then the plunger is withdrawn and the pouch at the same time ejected'fromthe plunger, preferably by. air

delivered from a port in the end of the plunger into the interior of the pouch so that the pouch remains properly located in the holder as the plunger retreats. Otherwise, for the purposes of the present invention, any similar or suitable pouches may be positioned in the holders at about the location indicated by the reference character 297 or at any time before the holders reach the first filling position.

The conveyor chains run over pairs of sprockets carried by shafts 311, 312 and 313, supported in suitable bearings on different frame members, bearing blocks 314 for shafts 312 being desirably mounted in guides 316 at the rear end of the frame and provided with adjusting screws 318 and nuts 319 for properly tensionin the conveyor. Onebf the conveyor sha ts such as shaft 311 is intermittently driven from a main drive shaft 154, by any suitable-intermittent driving mechanism, such as the Geneva wheel and stud carried by shafts 311 and 154, respectively. Shaft 154 may be the main drive shaft of the entire machine and for that purpose is provided with a drlving pulley 322. The upper stretches of the conveyor chains are desirably guided and sup.- ported by rails 324 carried by frame cross members 326, these rails engaging the chainblocks between the side links and the lower stretches of' the chains may be similarly supported and uided by rails 328. Between rails 324 a longitudinal plate 330 is supported which underlies the open bottoms of holders 286 throughout the extent of the difl'erent filling and ressing positions, to support the pouches within the holders.

Between frame uprights 8 and 9,a vertically table 332 is located just above the upper ends of the advancing row of pouch holders. This table is carried by vertical rods 333 passing through sleeves 335 resting on frame cross members 337; and the lower ends of the pairs of rods are connected by cross pieces 338. Each cross piece is provided'on the bottom with a slotted lug 340 carrying a rotatable cam roller 341, and

each roller is engaged by a cam 343 mounted on a transverse shaft 345 carried by bearings 347 below frame members 5. Shafts 345 are connected by sprockets and a chain 349 and the forward shaft 345 is connected by sprock ets and a chain 351 to main drive shaft 154. Table 332 carries'a row of feed chutes 355, four in the present instance, and each chute has a spout 356 of a size approximating the interior contour of the open end of the "-pouch, this spoutpassing through an aperture in the plate. Above and somewhat to.

one side of each charging chute is a tobacco hopper 358, these being supported by a 361 supported in bearings in frame uprights 8 and 9, runs between the hoppers and chutes and carries charge transfer wheels 363, one for each hopper and chute. Each wheel is arranged so that an upper surface runs close to the discharge opening 365 of a hopper, and a lower surface is adjacent to the upper end of the corresponding chute. 'In the surface of each transfer wheel is a series of equally spaced tobacco pockets 367. Shaft 361 is driven by a bevel gear 369 at its forward end, engaging a bevel pinion 371 on a transverse shaft 373, which is' connected by sprockets 375 and a chain 376 to main drive shaft 154, or another suitable driving member. A charge contro-lling roll 378 is arranged to run close to or engage the 'periphery of each transfer wheel substantially at the top thereof, and these rolls are accommodated by suitable formation of hop-- per walls 380. Rolls 378are carried on a shaft 382 mounted in bearings in frame uprights 8 and 9, and are driven in the same direction as shaft 361, so that the surfaces of the charge controlling rolls in engagement with the transfer wheels move in a reverse direction, that is, back toward the hoppers, to move back any surplus amount of tobacco and prevent the transfer of an excessive amount of tobacco in any one charge.

.The shaft 382 is driven by sprockets and ment of the tobacco and filling of the transfer pockets. Each of these devices consists in the present instance of a stirring or pushing blade 394, the 'free end of which is arranged to slide against the inclined wall 396 of the hopper, and carried by an arm 398, pivoted to a crank 400 on a longitudinal shaft 402, mountedin bearings 404. At one end this shaft has another crank arm 406 connected 0 by a pitman 408 with a crank 410 on the adjacent end of overhead shaft 386. In this way the stirrer shaft 402 is continuously oscillated and the agitator blades are moved up .and down to push the contents of the hoppers toward the pockets.

To the rear of each filling device is a charge compressin device comprising 'a plunger 414 mova 1y, arranged in guldes 416 carried by table 332 and passing through an aperture in the table, the plunger being formed to fit with suitable clearance within the pouch. Each plunger is connected to a link 418, and each link is connected adjustably to a crank arm 420, so that by adjusting the connection toward and from the crank longitudinal frame member 359. A shaft rotation center the stroke of the corresponding plunger may be varied. The driving cran s 420 are arranged in pairs on the endsof short shafts 422 carried in bearings 424 on brackets depending from frame members 6, and each of these crank shafts is. driven by sprockets and a chain 426 from overhead shaft 386.

While the machine can easily be arranged so that each pouch is entirely filled by one suitable filling device, for instance by mak; ing the transfer pockets of sufficient size to carry an entire charge, or rotating a single trans-fer wheel at such speed that a plurality of small charges will be delivered to the pouch in one conveyor position, and in such cases a single compresser would sulfice, it is preferred, as herein shownfto fill each pouch with a plurality of relatively small charges and to compress each charge separately. Consequently the first compressing plunger must descend relatively near to the bottom of the pouch, and the second will not descend so far, and so on to the rear plunger, which descends only a short distance into the ouch. The adjustment of the links 418 a ve described is provided to enable the strokes of the compression plungers to be conveniently varied for the purpose stated.

It is desirable in some cases, as here shown, to arrange the last charging device in the series so that a smaller charge may be inserted in the pouch than at previous positions, or so that the charge supplied here may be varied as may be necessary or de-- sirable. For this purpose instead of a single transfer pocket at each point on the rear transfer wheel, the periphery of this wheel isdesirably provided with equally spaced.

series of small pockets 428, for instance, three of these pockets in a row, with these rows equally spaced about the wheel perimeter. A part of the open dischar e end of the corresponding hopper may' be b ocked off by inserting a suitable plate, or in other convenient ways tobacco may be prevented from entering any one or more of the transfer pockets of each series and in this way the amount of the last charge may bereadily varied.

, It is desirable in many cases to insert in each pouch on top of the contents 3. card or ticket. For this purpose a vertical holder 430 for a stack of cards or labels L is supported on table 332 rearward of the last compression plunger. A slide 432 moves under the card stack and the upper face of this slide is provided with two card engaging shoulders 43,4 and 436. The slide has lateral flanges 438 co operating with guide members 440 at opposite side: of the slide and the upper surfaces'of these guide members provide supports 442 for the ends of the cards in intermediate positions during retreat of the slide. The slide is operated by a bell crank 444 fulcrumed at 445 on the rear wall of the card holder. Short arm 447 of the bell crank is connected by a link 449 to a stationary bracket 451; and the long arm 453 of the bell crank is connected by a pin and slot connection 455 to the outward end of the slide. An adjustable stop may also be provided in the form of a screw 457 carried by bell crank arm 453, to limit advance movement of the slide. At each upward movement of table 332, the bell crank acts just after the adjacent compression plunger has been withdrawn, and a filled pouch has been brought into position under the plunger, to advance acard and drop it through the table aperture into the pouch; and at the same time the rearmost shoulder 436 of the slide engages the under spouts 356 and plungers 414, are spaced equally apart so that equal movementsof the pouch conveyor from the first filling positlon move a pouch successively to the next compressing position, then to the next filling position, and so on, each pouch thus occupying eight active positions in the filling mechanism.

Before the conveyor commences each movement table 332is raised, retracting the filling spouts from the pouches. The conveyor then shifts the pouches, table 332 descends, inserting each fillmg spout 1n a pouch opening; a partial charge 1s de posited in each pouch by the charging mechanism and at the same time the charge is compressed in each one of the plungers. e manner in wh1c the cards are inserted has been sufficiently described. The filled pouches may be delivered to suitable closing mechanism, or may be removed by hand and disposed of in any desired way.

I claim: 1. In mechanism for filling pouches with tobacco or similar commodities, in which successive open topped plouches are presented for filling, aplura 'ty of filling devices, a conveyor having a series or spaced pouch holders, means for moving the conveyor intermittently, a plurality of charging devices located at different pouch holder positions, each device including a. filling spout, and a vertically movable support for the spouts serving to insert them simultaneously in the corresponding pouches.

2. In mechanism for fillin pouches with tobacco or similar commodities, in which successive open topped pouches are presented for filling, a plurality of filling devices, a conveyor having a series of spaced pouch holders, means for moving the conveyor intermittently, a plurality of charge devices located at different ouch holder positions, each device inclu mg a filling spout, and a vertically movable table supporting the spouts and serving to insert them simultaneously in the corresponding pouches, pressing plungers intermediate the filling devices, and means for operating the plungers.

3. Mechanism for filling pouches with tobacco or similar commodities, comprising means for supporting and advancing along a substantially straight course a spaced series of flexible pouches with their mouths open for filling, a series of equally spaced filling spouts, means for raising and lowering the spouts simultaneously to in sert the spout mouths in the pouches an'd.

withdraw'them, a hopper, and a pocketed delivery wheel co-operating with the hopper to discharge a measured amount of material from the hopper into the spout at a each filling location of the pouches said filling devices being located along said straight course of pouch advance.

4. Filling mechanism of the class described comprising a longitudinal conveyor having a spaced series of pouch holders, means for driving the conveyor intermittently, a series of filling stations, a hopper, a pocketed delivery wheel and a spout at each filling station, a longitudinal table supporting said spouts and apertured to accommodate the spout mouths, means for lowering and raising the table to simultaneously insert the spout mouths in pouches at the filling stations and withdraw them after a filling operation, and a pressing plunger arranged to enter a pouch and press the contents therein subsequent to each filling station Signed by JONATHAN PETERSON at Brooklyn,'in the county of Kings and State of New York, this 15th day of January A. D.

' JONATHAN PETERSON. Signed by JAMES C. THOM at Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, this 13th day of J an., 1923.

JAMES C. THOM. 

